


Remember The Time.

by padfootsotter



Category: Grey's Anatomy
Genre: Dirty Mistresses, F/M, Grey's Anatomy Fanfiction, Meredith Grey and Mark Sloan Fanfic, Meredith and Mark Fanfiction
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-01-14
Updated: 2016-02-14
Packaged: 2018-05-13 22:21:17
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 8,191
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5719135
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/padfootsotter/pseuds/padfootsotter
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>An an unusual friendship develops. Some friendships turn into romantic relationships, most of the time those end in tragedy. Can these two dirty mistresses finally find happy ever after, maybe with each other?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Yesterday

**Remember The Time**

 

Set during ‘Yesterday’, will not follow the canon ‘Grey’s Anatomy’. With this fanfic they will follow from that episode and will go 'Alternate Universe' from then -character relationship wise, not medical wise. 

 

 

* * *

 

 

 

Meredith stood at the nurses station, typing in the patient’s report, “Invasive non-cell. With a history of COPD. That guy’s pretty much a goner, huh?” Meredith looked at the stranger, the very hot stranger who’s wearing a leather jacket who makes him even hotter. 

 

Meredith cocked an eyebrow, “Sensitivity. I like that in a stranger. Are you new here?” 

 

The stranger smiled and leaned back, “Confounded by all the rain and it’s only my first day in town.” 

 

“You get used to it.” Meredith finished her report and began to walk away from the computer, the stranger followed her every move.” 

 

“Makes me wanna stay in bed all day.” 

 

Meredith let out a chuckle, “We just met and already you’re talking about bed. Not very subtle.” She gave him a disapproving stare, however she couldn’t help but be humoured by him. 

 

“I’m not one for subtlety.” He replied. That was the last thing he said before a fist knocked him to the ground. 

 

“Oh my god!” Meredith looked at the perpetrator and found that it was Derek. ‘What? Why would he be punching him?’ “What the hell was that?!” 

 

Derek looked at Meredith, a slight rage in his eyes, he cradled his hand before replying to Meredith. “That was Mark.” He all but spat. 

 

“What the hell is going on here?!” Dr. Webber demanded as he stormed in and took in the scene in front of him. “Dr. Grey, please escort Dr. Sloan to a free room and stitch his injuries,” Meredith held out her hand and Mark took it. “And you,” he swivelled his body and looked at Derek, “conference room now!” 

 

 

 

Meredith started patching up Mark when he decided to comment that he and Derek always had the same taste in women, Meredith couldn’t help but roll her eyes. “Excuse me?” 

 

He gave her a small smirk, “You’re Derek’s lusty intern, right? Heard about you all the way back in New York, you’re famous.” 

 

Meredith hummed, how the hell did people in New York find out about her? Addison, probably. “You’re the same you know,” Mark cocked an eyebrow, “I heard about you all the way here in Seattle, so I guess we have a lot in common.” 

 

Mark made an agreeing sound, his eyes lit up like he thought of something magnificent, “We’re the dirty mistresses.” 

 

Meredith laughed and agreed. “it’s quite catchy don’t you think? We could start a band and play in dingy bars.” 

 

“And our songs are about pain and heartbreak and fuck you’s to the people that hurt us.” Mark said. Meredith smiled, loving how she felt at ease with Mark. 

 

“You know it’s funny,” Mark started to turn his head so he could see her, but Meredith grasped his chin so she could clean the wound on his cheek. “Derek walks in on me naked with his wife actually in the throes. And he just turns around and walks away, but he sees me so much as talking to you and I’m on the ground bleeding. Interesting, don’t you think?” 

 

Meredith shrugged. “It’s odd. He didn’t have a right to do that -if it did have something to do with me. It’s over, so he shouldn’t be jealous if I’m talking to another man, even if it is you.” 

 

“It’s over?” 

 

Meredith put down her sutures and looked over his shoulder, “Ever since Addison came back. I mean at first he hated having her here and wanted to divorce her. Then one day he changes his mind and chooses her over me. I mean, she’s his wife, he should choose her,- “ 

 

“But he shouldn’t have led you on? Right?” Mark finished her sentence. 

 

Meredith nodded but didn’t reply. “Same thing happened to me and Addi. After Derek walked out, she stayed with me, for a month. During that time I thought she wanted to stay with me, then one day I find her things gone and next thing I know she’s here in Seattle, back with your boyfriend.” 

 

“Sucks to be us.” Meredith quipped, picking up her sutures. Mark nodded in agreement “Now, let’s get you fixed up.” She placed a towel on his shoulder and moved to start suturing his face. 

 

Before she knew it, Mark held her wrist in his hand, “What do you think you’re doing?” 

 

“You need stitches.” 

 

“I know.” He grabbed the mirror in front of him and instructed Meredith to hold it. 

 

“Such a badass.” 

 

Mark gave her a wink and a smirk, “I know baby. I try to be.” After he finished suturing his own face he turned to Meredith, “I need an x-ray to check for fractures, want to take me?” 

 

Meredith shrugged, “Sure, I don’t really have anything else to do.” 

 

“And here I thought you wanted to actually spend time with me.” 

 

Meredith didn’t reply, although she did give him a smile. Together they walked out of the room and Meredith saw her friends at the nurses station, probably talking about Mark. “Can you hold on a sec?” She said to Mark  as she saw Cristina giving her a questioning look. 

 

“Mc Sexy wants an x-ray to check for fractures and I’m taking him there.” 

 

The boys looked at Mark and then back at the girls. “McSexy?” Cristina asked. 

 

“No.” Meredith replied. 

 

“McYummy?” Izzie suggested. 

 

Both Cristina and Meredith replied with a ‘no.’ 

 

Meredith looked at Mark appreciatively, suddenly like a light bulb, “McSteamy.” 

 

“Oh there it is.” Cristina said, pursing her lips in admiration of the nickname. Izzie agreed. 

 

 

“Grey! Are you ready yet? I could bleed out at any minute!” Meredith rolled her eyes. She said her goodbyes and headed towards Mark. “What were you talking about?’ Mark asked. 

 

“Nothing,” Meredith replied quickly. 

 

“That just tells me that you were talking about me,” he replied smugly. 

 

“Are you a psychiatrist now?” Meredith asked, amused. 

 

“No, but did you know that my 400 dollar an hour shrink says that I’m self destructive and self loathing to an almost pathological degree.” 

 

Meredith looked at him and she just knew that he was telling the truth. She gave him a slight slap to the arm. “Hey, we do have a lot in common.” 

 

 

Back at the nurses station, Cristina, Izzie, Alex and George were still there talking. “50 says that Sloan will get with her,” Alex betted putting a 50 down on the table. 

 

“I’m with him,” Cristina agreed putting another 50. 

 

George shook his head in disapproval, “30 says she won’t. She knows better than that.” George looked at the corridor that Mark and Meredith went down, “Just no.” 

 

Izzie looked like she was in thought, “I’m going to have to go with Alex and Cristina.” Izzie was interrupted with a yell from George. “What? They have undeniable chemistry.” 

 

* * *

 

 

 

Meredith looked at her watch, “I have to go and get lunch.” She said regretfully to Mark. 

 

“I’m a bit hungry myself, can I have lunch with you?” 

 

“As in a date?” Meredith asked, amused. 

 

“No, as in as friends who get lunch together.” 

 

“Right,” Meredith smiled as she walked away, leading him to the cafeteria. 

 

* * *

 

 

“So what do you think you’re going to specialise in?” Mark asked her as he began eating his sandwich. 

 

Meredith shrugged, “I have no idea. I haven’t thought about it too much.” She began playing with her food, “I mean, maybe general surgery like my mother, but they’ll always be comparing me to her.” 

 

“Is that what you’re afraid of?” Meredith said nothing in reply. “Don’t be. You’re two different people, who have different extraordinary talents. If they ever compared you to your mother, they’ll only say how much better you are.” 

 

“Thanks.” Meredith smiled in appreciation and Mark smile back.

 

* * *

 

 

 

Meredith walked alongside Cristina and Mark. She listened to the details Cristina was telling Mark. A boy with Craniodiaphyseal dysplasia was at the hospital and Mark jumped at the chance to tell the boy he could have a better life. 

 

Meredith watched as Mark tell Jake about how he can fix his face and smiled as Mark made Jake’s year, maybe even his life. Mark was in the middle of his explanation when Derek walked into the room. “Dr. Sloan, can I help you with something?” 

 

Jake looked at Derek, “He says he can fix my face. He says he can make me look normal!” Jake missed the angry glare Derek gave to Mark, however Cristina and Meredith did not. 

 

The next thing they knew, her, Cristina and Alex managed to find them were watching through the walkway where they had a clear view of the Chief’s office. They watched as Derek’s face grew redder and redder, hands gesturing wildly. Mark, however did not take any crap from Derek as he retaliated everything he said. 

 

“Did he call him a crack-whore?” Cristina interrupted the silence. 

 

 

 

 

Meredith was walking down the hallway when she saw Derek and Mark come out of the room. Little did she know that Addison was behind her. Meredith turned around and tried to find out what the men were looking at, she saw Addison and sh realised why their faces were like that. Addison began to walk away, so did Derek, however they walked away in opposite ways. 

 

Instead of chasing Addison Mark walked over to where Meredith stopped. “Aren’t you going to chase after her?” Mark cocked his head, “Addison.” 

 

Mark shook his head. “No, I’d rather be talking to you, my dirty mistress.” 

 

“I have to go to Jake and start drawing out what he wants his face to look like.” 

 

“The Chief gave you a consent form?” Mark nodded. Meredith fully smiled, “Congrats!” 

 

 

* * *

 

 

 

Mark found Meredith sitting inside an office behind the nurse’s station. He looked at her as she began putting things inside envelopes. It was funny, he came to Seattle for one woman and here he was staring at a completely different woman. 

 

“What are you doing?” 

 

“I’m fulfilling a patient’s dying wish to send hate mail to everyone he’s ever met.” Mark furrowed his brows. “I know. I feel the same way. Are you okay?” 

 

“It’s just I want to make him have a better life, I know there are risks with his surgery. But what is life without having the one thing you want in it?” 

 

“Not a life worth living.”  Meredith answered.

 

“Right.” 

 

“Then help him, who’s better to do it that the country’s best plastic surgeon?” 

 

Mark smirked, “Done your homework then?” 

 

“Maybe.” 

 

 

 

 

Meredith sat in her usual seat at Joe’s and began to think. However, her thoughts were interrupted when Mark asked if the seat next to her was taken. “Go right ahead.” 

 

“Are you okay? You looked sad?” 

 

“My father. I saw him for the first time in 20 years.” 

 

“How did that go?” 

 

Meredith took a shot of tequila, “Could have gone better. What are you still doing here? Shouldn’t you be on the plane to New York?” 

 

“I’m hoping Addison shows up.” Meredith didn’t know why but when he said that her heart felt heavier. 

 

“You’re still in love with her?” 

 

“You’re still in love with him?” 

 

“I was, two weeks ago I was. But thinking of everything he’s done to me, lie to me, led me on. I think I’m falling out of love him.” Meredith took another shot. “She won’t show you know.” 

 

“No? What if you’re wrong? What if just this once… life comes down on the side of dirty mistresses?” Mark asked hopeful. 

 

Meredith couldn’t help but let her snide-side out. “We hope, you know, against all logic, against all experience, we look for that comfort. We want safety. We look everywhere for that.”  

 

“That’s deep Mer,” Mark spoke. 

 

“I know.” 

 

* * *

 

 

 

Meredith looked at the window, the rain falling down on the Seattle landscape. Hands came around her waist. His stubble tickling her cheek, “You know, I think I can get used to the Seattle weather.” 

 

Meredith turned around and placed her hands around his shoulders, “Just as friends right?” 

 

“Right.” Mark responded. He leaned forward and let his lips touch hers and he couldn’t help but smile inwardly.


	2. What Have I Done To Deserve This?

Mark walked out of Meredith’s room, trying to be quiet as he walked over to the bathroom. He quickly checked over his shoulder to see if Meredith was still asleep. He opened the bathroom door, hopefully that no one was inside. 

 

After his trip to the bathroom, he opened the door to and what he saw made him smile inside. He closed the door quietly and turned back to see Meredith sprawled out across the bed, bedsheets across her torso. Her front was bare, one of her breast out to the world, however what really caught his attention was her snoring. She was loud at snoring…very loud. He crawled to the bed and tried to get back on his side and watched her as her chest went up and down. 

 

It was weird, he never really did this. He never stayed long enough to actually memorise anything about the girl. But with Meredith, Meredith was definitely something else. All throughout his thoughts Meredith still snored. 

 

Mark was brought out of his snoring when Meredith woke herself up, probably due to her loud snoring. He smiled at her as she looked around her room like a child. “Your boob is out.” 

 

Meredith looked up to her right and smiled when she saw Mark’s stupid smirk. “Thanks for noticing.” Meredith began to move the blanket so her breast was covered. 

 

Mark stopped Meredith’s hand, “Don’t I like it,” 

 

“Of course you do, you’re a pervert.” 

 

Mark moved so he was level with Meredith’s chest.”Oh really?” He placed a kiss on her collarbone, he heard her laugh and loved how he felt Meredith’s chuckle vibrate throughout her body, “If I was really a perv, you wouldn’t let me do this.” Mark moved his mouth down Meredith’s chest, until he came in contact with her breast. He opened his mouth and moved to place Meredith’s nipple in his mouth, he was welcomed by a moan and a hand travelling down his spine. Mark moved the ripped the blanket off the bed and moved towards Meredith’s other breast. “If you did let a perv do this, then there is something wrong with you,” he gently bit her nipple until she moaned again. After paying attention to her other breast Mark began to move downwards. 

 

“Mark…” 

 

 

* * *

 

 

Meredith woke up with a sudden start and moved her head from her pillow, she groaned slightly realising that she had a headache from last night. She looked over to her companion’s side and saw that it was vacant. She felt her stomach drop a bit and mentally scolded herself. She shouldn’t be disappointed. 

 

After realising that she would be late for work if she didn’t dress herself, she got up and put on the cleanest clothes that she could see. Opening her door and walking out she came face to face with Alex trying to put his trousers on and Izzie sipping her coffee. 

 

Izzie must have seen the questioning look on Meredith’s face as she spoke to her, “What? So I slept with him again. So I’m a big whore. Big horny whore who can’t get enough. Can we get over the shocked silence already?” Izzie turned and moved Alex. 

 

The three moved downstairs and realise that someone was cooking breakfast, “is George cooking? George never cooks.” Meredith said as she walked to the kitchen. 

 

When she opened the door she realised that it wasn’t George as he was sitting on the table, however it was her missing companion. He saw her standing at the door and moved at her with a pair of spatula. 

 

She gave him a smile and walked over to him after saying hello to George. “What are you doing?” 

 

“Cooking breakfast, I thought it was obvious.” He flipped over the pancake and watched it sizzle. 

 

“I mean, I thought-,” 

 

Mark turned and gave her a cheeky smirk, “What?” 

 

“It’s just. I thought you left.” 

 

Mark moved his arm so it was on Meredith’s lower back, a gesture unnoticed by the other people in the room. “As you can see I didn’t.” 

 

Meredith found herself moving closer to Mark, “You cook?” 

 

“Also, I clean.” 

 

Meredith barked out a laugh, “What a man.” 

 

 

 

Izzie sat at the table with Alex and George, “So what do you think happened between those two?” 

 

“McSteamy obviously got McSome.” 

 

Izzie laughed, “Did you just refer to Mark Sloan as McSteamy?” 

 

Alex blushed and George joined in with the laughter. “You so did man!” 

 

“At least she’s happy,” Izzie gestured with her mug. 

 

They all saw how happy and giggly Meredith was, Meredith was always the opposite. Even George had to agree that Meredith looked a million times happier with Sloan than with Derek. “Yeah, she is.” 

 

* * *

 

 

“Hey,” Mark greeted Meredith as he walked up next to her. 

 

“Hey,” 

 

“Did you hear?” 

 

“Hear what?” Cristina asked as she came up to them, followed by Izzie and George. 

 

The eagerness on Mark’s face slowly disappeared as he leaned back, “Nothing. It’s just that I’m going to stay here for a few more weeks to he;p out with the consults and such.” 

 

Cristina, Izzie and George walked away, leaving Meredith and Mark standing in the middle of the floor. “You’re staying for a few more weeks then?” She smiled as he placed his hand on her arm. 

 

“I am. The chief asked me to stay for some consults and you know, just be there just in case.” Mark shrugged and held her hand. 

 

“Mark, what are you doing?” 

 

“Just come with me for a second, please?” He gave her his best puppy smile and she just laughed in return. 

 

“Where are we going?” She asked as she allowed him to pull her along. “The on-call room, really?” She gave him a mocking glare. “So classy.” 

 

“Will you just shush?” He pulled her in. “The reason I pulled you in here is because of this,” he smiled and began to lean in. Meredith wrapped her arms around his neck and allowed herself to be  embraced by him. He broke their kiss and placed his forehead against hers. “I can’t believe I went three hours without kissing you.” 

 

“Are you turning into a sap?” He arched a brow at her and pulled her to the bed. “Come with me my dirty mistress.” 

 

Meredith laughed as she fell on top of Mark on the bed. “I don’t have much time,” 

 

The next thing they both knew the door to the room was open and there stood Burke. Mark and Meredith’s head popped up and saw Burke standing there with an open mouth, staring shocked at them. He shook his head and laughed disbelievingly. “Uh….I’m sorry.” Burke left, quietly closing the door. 

 

Mark and Meredith both looked at each other and laughed, Mark’s head falling on Meredith’s shoulder. “Could that be more awkward?” 

 

“Derek could walk in,” Mark suggested. 

 

Meredith shrugged and agreed with Mark. 

 

* * *

 

 

Burke walked up to Cristina and placed his surgical cap in front of her, “Did you know that Meredith and Sloan are dating?” 

 

Cristina looked at him from her clipboard, “Meredith doesn’t do relationships.” 

 

“I just saw them,” 

 

Cristina sighed and placed her clipboard down, she turned and faced him, “What you saw was the beginning of a beautiful relationship called ‘friends with benefits,” she gave him a sarcastic smile and Burke frowned at her. 

 

“We’ll see,” Burke said as he began walking away. 

 

“See what?” Cristina called out, “See what?!” 

 

Burke didn’t reply anything, however he did give her a smile over the shoulder. 

 

* * *

 

 

 

“Meredith! Hey,” Derek called as the elevator began to close. 

 

Meredith pushed the button, holding it and watching Derek slip by. “How are you?” Mark asked as he pushed the button for the lobby. 

 

Meredith turned and looked at Derek, she couldn’t help but compare the Mark and him. She gave him a look, “I’m hanging in there.” 

 

“That’s good, that’s very good.” Derek nodded and smiled at her. “I’ve been thinking and would it be weird if we just became friends,” 

 

“Friends?” 

 

“We could ah…hangout. Yes, hangout, and I could walk Doc every other morning,  and we could meet. Have coffee. Watch Doc play and…obviously discuss the complex nature of our existence.” Derek gave her his infamous McDreamy smile. 

 

“Right.” 

 

“We could. Might be fun. I could be your friend Meredith.” 

 

Before she could answer the elevator door dinged and opened, she walked and then turned to him, “I have enough friends at the moment.” 

 

The doors closed again and Derek looked at the ground gloomily. 

 

 

* * *

 

“So how was everybody’s day?” Izzie asked as she walked in into the locker room.

 

“My guy’s fiancee left him because she thought he was going to die,” George replied pulling on his shoelaces harder than it should be, “he didn’t die by the way, but I think he feels like it would have been better if he did.” George slammed his locker and everybody jumped, startled, 

 

“If it makes you feel better Burke caught Meredith and McSteamy getting it on in the on-call room,” Cristina said as she pulled down her shirt. She was greeted by a yell and a glare from Meredith. 

 

George and Izzie looked at Meredith, “What? We thought the door was locked, it’s not my fault.” Meredith spoke as she grabbed her things from her locker, “it really wasn’t.” 

 

Their conversation was interrupted with a knock on the door, “Are you ready to go?” Meredith didn’t have to turn around to know it was Mark. 

 

“Give me a second.” Meredith responded as she finished putting her clothes in her bag. “Okay, I’m ready.” 

 

“Where are you guys going?” Izzie questioned. 

 

“Back home,” Meredith answered, “see you guys later.” 

 

 

Meredith and Mark passed by Burke and he watched with a keen interest in his eyes. He knocked on the locker room door and gestured for Cristina to come. “Hey,” 

 

“Hi," Cristina handed him a chocolate bar, “you want this?” 

 

“Sure,” Burke entwined his hand with hers, “I just passed by Meredith and Mark, I don’t think that they’re friendship with benefits.” 

 

Cristina looked at him with a smile on her face, “Aw, look at you thinking that you know Mer better than me, that’s so cute.” 

 

* * *

 

 

“-tell them to go away!” Mark yelled as Meredith laughed and walked over to the front door. 

 

“Derek,” Meredith said as she opened the door. 

 

“Hey Mer,” 

 

“What are you doing here?” 

 

“It’s just-,” 

 

“You weren’t satisfied with the answer I gave you back at the elevator right?” Meredith finished his sentence. “I don’t need you in my life Derek, not as a friend nor as a partner. Do you want to know why? I thought you were the one that was going to fix me, you gave me life and you made me fall in love, make me have fantasies about the future. You don’t expect it to be gone in the blink of an eye. I thought I found the person, the one person I was going to spend the rest of my life with. I was done with all the boys and the bars and the one night stands, as well as the all obvious daddy issues, all those were irrelevant when I met you because I was done with all of those things. But you left me and broke me,” Meredith replied coldly. 

 

“You broke me when you didn’t sign those divorce papers and you broke everything in me when you chose Addison over me. I get it, you want to live your life and you want to start over with your wife, but you don’t get me and her, that’s asking for too much. 

 

“My friends are the things that are keeping me sane right now, they’re the ones that are gluing me back, you don’t get to ask to be my friend when friends are supposed to glue each other back when they’re broken. They are not the reasons why you can’t fall asleep because you’re crying too much, or can’t stand in a room for too long because you may cry. That is not what friends do. If I let you back in my Derek, sooner or later you’re going to hurt me and I’m tired. I’m so, so, tired.” Meredith replied as she felt her voice break towards the end of the sentence. “Goodbye Derek,” she didn’t give him time to answer as she closed the door on him and began walking back to the kitchen. 

 

 

 

 She saw Mark standing by the door and he gave her a questioning smile. “Are you okay?” He threw an arm over her shoulders and began walking with her back to the table. 

 

“Did you hear?” 

 

Mark nodded. “Sorry, it was hard not to listen.” 

 

Meredith smiled and shook her head, “It’s fine. I guess having someone else hear it means that I actually said it out loud and not just in my head.” Mark laughed and Meredith couldn’t help but smile. 

 

Mark kissed the top of her head, “Do you want some food, with wine?” Mark asked. 

 

Meredith nodded. Mark got up and began putting food on their plates. Meredith smiled as she watched Mark. She didn’t need Derek now, she didn’t need Derek anymore. Even if Mark was just there for having sex, his emotional support was a thousand times better than Derek. 

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading and I hoped you liked it! Please review they help fuel my GA muse! -padfootsotter


	3. Band-Aids Don't Fix Bullet Holes

Meredith closed her locker door, putting her scrubs on she ran a hand down her face, groaning. “Late night with McSteamy?” Cristina asked as she sat down on the bench next to Meredith. 

 

“He went back to New York,” Meredith replied, taking a drink of her water. 

 

“When?” 

 

“Last night?” 

 

“So it was farewell sex?” Cristina asked, Meredith in return gave her an annoyed look. “I was just asking!” 

 

The next thing they knew George was hugging Bailey who was at the door. “We’ve missed you.” George said as Bailey extracted George from here. 

 

Bailey gave George her infamous annoyed look, “Don’t ever do that again,” she looked over at her interns, “any of you.” She went out the door and then popped her head in again, “Well, what are all of you waiting for?” 

 

Her interns scattered towards the door, each wanting to know what the day had planned for them. Meredith walked next to Bailey and made the mistake of yawning, “Late night again, Grey?” Meredith remembered how Bailey asked that before when she and Derek had spent the night together. 

 

“No,” Bailey gave her a knowing look. 

 

 

* * *

 

 

“You paged?” Meredith asked as she entered the pit. 

 

“Yeah, just got a new patient. Looks surgical. Maybe neuro.” Meredith looked behind him and saw a man holding an ice pack on his groin. Meredith arched a brow, “Not him. His wife.” The doctor answered her silent question. 

 

“This is so embarrassing but we didn’t know what else to do.” The wife spoke, she turned and Meredith saw a fork embedded in her neck. That was a new one. 

 

“Oh.” 

 

“Hello, how are we all going today?” Derek moved next to Meredith and looked at the file that was attached to the bed. “What do we have here? How did this happen?” Derek asked. The husband -Kyle- explained that they were in Hotel Monaco having brunch and his wife had treated him something extra underneath the table. Meredith turned and noticed Sylvia blushing. 

 

“Maybe, we could skip that part?” Sylvia pleaded, embarrassed, she turned to Derek, “Can we just pull this out and just go? I’m fine, really.” She emphasised really as she looked at her husband. “It doesn’t hurt that much. We didn’t want to pull it out because it’s there pretty good.” 

 

“I’m sorry, but I don’t think that we can pull it out at the moment, we don’t want to rupture an artery.” Meredith explained. 

 

“I want to do an x-ray. I want to make sure that there is no nerve or major blood vessels being compromised,”  the Bookers nodded in agreement with Derek, Kyle more so than his wife. “Now, Mr Booker, have you seen someone about,” Derek looked at Kyle’s injury, “your injury?”

 

“The doctor’s said I was fine, just some bruising as can be expected.” 

Derek nodded, “Okay, I want to find out what’s causing the clenching. Now do you have a history of seizures?” Derek asked Sylvia who looked at her husband with a look. 

 

“No, nothing like that.”

 

Kyle looked at his wife, “It may have something to do with her brain aneurysm.” 

 

“Kyle!” 

 

“What?” 

 

“I don’t want to do this now.” 

 

Derek gave Meredith a look, “It’s not on her record.” 

 

“Can we just please take this fork out and go?” Sylvia asked again. 

 

“No.” 

 

“She was diagnosed about six weeks ago,” Kyle spoke as he held his wife’s hand. 

 

“And your doctor didn’t recommend surgery?” Derek had his tone, the tone where he was disappointed with other people. 

 

“All the surgeons said that it’s inoperable.” 

 

Derek made a thoughtful noise. “That’s why Kyle and I are here in Seattle. We’re ticking off everything that I’ve wanted to see, The Space Needle is crossed off now.” 

 

Derek nodded and looked at Meredith, “Do an MRI.” He spoke so softly that she almost didn’t hear him. “It’s good to see you today.” She didn’t know whether he was talking to the patient or to her, that’s the thing with Derek, she never knew. 

 

* * *

 

“I heard that you got a person who has a fork embedded in her neck,” George spoke as he saw Meredith, “why do you always get the good ones?” 

 

Meredith gave him an amused look, “I don’t think it’s going to be good news for them though,” 

 

“Oh,” 

 

Meredith made a resided noise, “Hey, I might have something that might cheer you up.” 

 

“What is it?” 

 

“Dr. Bailey left her baby with Cristina!” George laughed and Meredith smiled. 

 

“We have to go see this!” 

 

Meredith and George scoured the hospital trying to find Christina. They finally found her at the nurses station looked mildly annoyed at the baby in front of her. “Eat! Or drink!” She demanded the baby as she bottle fed him. 

 

George and Meredith laughed, which Cristina heard and gave them a nasty stare. “Help me!” She hissed. George came over and took the baby from her, he instantly began to coddle him. “Ugh,” 

 

“Are you okay?” Meredith asked as she placed a helpful hand on Cristina’s back. 

 

“What do you think? I’m supposed to be doing surgery stuff, fixing broken arteries not being a babysitter!” Burke came around the corner and hugged his girlfriend.

 

“How are you/?”

 

“Ugh,” was Cristina’s replied. 

 

“Dr. Bailey left her baby with Cristina,” Burke made an ‘ah’ noise. Burke asked if he could look after the baby from George. 

 

Cristina watched with a mix of morbid and surprise as Burke practically played with the baby as if the baby was his. Burke looked over and he saw Cristina looking at him, he walked next to her and placed the baby in front of her and she took it. “Bounce him, he’ll like it.” Cristina gave him a confused look, she hesitated however she did it and the baby laughed happily. 

 

George gave Meredith an incredulous look and she could only shrug in response. They decided to leave the happy couple with Dr. Bailey’s son. “Who would have thought?” George asked as they went to the lift. 

 

“Love makes you do crazy things.” 

 

 

________________________________________________________________

 

“So have you talked to Sloan?” Alex asked her as he and Izzie sat down. 

 

“No, I don’t really plan on talking with him.” 

 

“Trouble in paradise?” Alex asked as stuffed his burger. 

 

“Pig.” 

 

“You love it,” Alex spoke as he had food in his mouth. 

 

“We aren’t in relationship, it was strictly helping each other out.” Izzie gave her a look and turned to Alex. He nodded as well. “What?” When they said nothing, she repeated her question. 

 

“it’s just,” Alex coughed interrupting Izzie, “nevermind.” 

 

Meredith shook her head knowing that Izzie wouldn’t budge. 

 

* * *

 

 

As Meredith walked down the stairs her phone started ringing, which was weird, nobody ever called her, paged her yes, but never called her. “Hello?” 

 

“Hey kitten,” Meredith smiled as she heard Mark’s voice through the phone. 

 

“Hey,” she leaned against the railing. “Have you arrived?” 

 

She heard rustling, “Yeah, I did. I forgot how great New York is.” 

 

“Really? Better than rainy, dreary Seattle?” 

 

Mark laughed and Meredith’s smile grew larger, “There is one thing missing though.”

 

“Oh really?” Meredith bit her lip. 

 

“Yeah,” 

 

“Can I ask who?” 

 

“Who said that it was a who?” It had been around twelve hours and the one thing she missed the most was the ability for them to have a friendly banter. 

 

“Didn’t know that you were into that Mark,” Meredith knew that he would take it the way she meant it.

 

“Oi!” Meredith laughed and she heard Mark’s husky chuckle at the other side. “You know who I’m talking about.” 

 

“I think I do, but to ease my curiosity, mind telling me who?” 

 

“Well she’s this girl who’s absolutely the worst at cooking, she burnt soup that’s how bad she is. However apart from her kitchen skills she’s great all around -especially when she does this thing with her tongue-“ Meredith interrupted him before things got heated. 

 

 

“You still didn’t answer me,” 

 

“it’s you kitten,” Meredith felt herself blush. 

 

“How’s New York?” 

 

“It’s alright, I mean I’m back to work tomorrow and I’m fucking tired as shit. That farewell really made my day and flight though,” 

 

“It made my day as well,” Meredith grinned as she remembered how he said goodbye to her. If that’s how he was always going to say goodbye…then, she would always be happy whenever he said those two words. Meredith was about to speak when her beeper went off, “Crap! I have to go Mark, my beeper’s going crazy. I’ll talk to you later?” 

 

“Oh, okay.” She wasn’t an idiot, she can hear the disappointment in his voice. 

 

“What happens if we video call each other tonight, after I finish my shift?” She heard Mark agree. “Oh, and Mark?” 

 

“Yeah?” 

 

“I miss you.” She could feel Mark begin to smile, and it made her light and fluffy inside, something that wasn’t normal for her. 

 

“I miss you too baby. Now go to work before you get in trouble.” She hung up after saying goodbye and smiled despite finishing their conversation. There was something about Mark that made her feel…well, feel un-Meredith, and she liked it. A lot. 

 

 

* * *

 

 

“You paged?” She walked up towards Derek and saw him looking down on Mrs. Bookers file. “Anything wrong?” 

 

“The aneurysm that she says, it’s big, I mean really big.” He turned to her and pulled out the MRi’s. “I can work it, I know it.” 

 

“How?” She’s never seen something like this, only ever in textbooks. This was something major and she never expected to come across it, let alone in her second year. 

 

“Double-barrel bypass.” 

 

“Derek,” 

 

“it’s risky, but if it works out then she can live a happy and healthy life with her husband. I can give her an extra 30 to 40 years in her life!” Derek looked like an ecstatic little boy in a candy store. 

 

“This is very risky Derek and she doesn’t seem like the person to take risks, but if you think that this could work, then do it, give her extra time with her husband.” Meredith knew that Mrs. Booker wasn’t going down with a fight. 

 

As they walked towards the patient’s room she felt Derek glance at her everyone and a while, when they reached the privacy of the elevator she turned to him and sighed. “What?” 

 

“What, what?” 

 

“Don’t do that Derek,” she sighed and placed her hands on her hips, “just stop whatever you’re doing. You don’t get to do the whole puppy dog routine.” 

 

“I’m not.” 

 

“Yes, you are.” Awkward silence followed and Meredith cursed herself for ever opening her mouth. 

 

“I heard that Mark moved back to New York,” 

 

“Well, he had to, it’s his job and home,” there was something in that sentence that made her feel sick and she didn’t know why. Was it because that she missed Mark? Or was it because of the fact that the first guy she found that she really liked and got along with was on the other side of the country, a state where he called home? 

 

“Are you worried?” 

 

“Worried about what?” She turned to Derek and gave her a shrug. 

 

“That he has a wondering eye.” 

 

Meredith instantly got furious and pulled the emergency button. “Where the hell do you get off?!” She yelled at him, “I know that I don’t know Mark as well as you do, but judging from the two and a half weeks I’ve known him he’s better than you in every way. 

 

“Did you know that not once has he lied to me? That he’s been truthful ever since I met him, something that you couldn’t even do?” She saw Derek flinch and she felt happy that she hit that sore spot. “I told you, you don’t get to be in my life anymore! You don’t get to give me these speeches, alright? If I want you out of my life, I mean it. It doesn’t mean that stop talking to me for a while, it means stop talking to me forever, okay?” She breathe out a loud sigh which made her shoulders feel lighter, she pushed the button back. She turned to Derek once again, “Oh, and for the record? Mark and I are not in a relationship, and if we were I don’t think that he would ever do that. Because you know why? He seem like the type of person to give everything to someone whom he loves, he’ll give up everything -even his job or his life. I don’t think he’ll ever lie to her either because he won’t be able to stomach the fact that he hurt the girl he loved.” Meredith finished her tirade just as the elevator doors opened. 

 

She stormed off towards where Sylvia and Kyle were. Derek followed her, head looking at the ground. He felt furious but upset at the same time. He knew that making any conversation with Meredith when she was angry was like talking to a brick wall. He knew that she would retaliate, she always did. She was always someone who stuck with her beliefs. But did he expect her to defend Mark like that? No, he really didn’t. Derek knew that they got closer as the weeks went on, but he didn’t know that they were that close. That she felt that close to him. Fuck. 

 

 

 

“How are you going Mr and Mrs Bookers?” They both gave a muffled answer as Derek asked the question. “I have great news for you two,” 

 

Kyle perked up while sitting next to his wife. Derek explained how he could stop Sylvia from having an aneurysm, Kyle looked like he was on board, however Sylvia was the complete opposite. 

 

“A double-barrel what?” Sylvia asked as Derek finished. 

 

“The double-barrel brain by-pass,” Meredith offered. 

 

“I’m going to use two scalp arteries to re-direct the blood flow in your brain around the aneurysm.” 

 

Kyle stood up from the bed and looked at Derek, still holding his wife hand, “How come no one else has mentioned this?” 

 

“Well it’s a surgery that’s been performed less than a dozen times. I have performed one successfully and I’ve watched one. I don’t want to understate the risks. The risks are that aneurysm could rupture on the table.” Derek didn’t want to glorify this surgery, if they were up for it he would do it, but they needed to know everything. 

 

“But you think there’s a chance? A chance that it could work?” 

 

“Yes.” 

 

Sylvia looked unimpressed, “No. Hell no. I’m leaving. And we’re going to Europe. We’ve always wanted to see it. We’ve never had the time. This is the time. We’re going, that’s it.” Derek looked taken back with the answer however he recovered it well. 

 

Meredith and Derek moved out of the room, with Meredith leaving to go the staff room. Once she was in the room she looked at her phone and saw that she had three new messages, all of them from Mark. 

 

_‘How’s your day going? Mine’s shit. Someone decided it would be great to spill coffee on me today. My first day! Well it’s not my first day but still! Fuck, it hurt!’_

 

_‘With our little appointment tonight, shall we say around 10:45? Is that when you’re finished? Text me .’_

 

_‘Miss you my dirty little mistress.’_

 

Mark’s text made her giggle and she quickly typed a reply. 

 

_‘My day has been fine. There’s a possibility that I might get to scrub in on a double-barrel brain by-pass! If Derek manages to change the wife’s mind.’_

 

_‘Yes, 10:45 should be fine. I’ll let you if anything changes.’_

 

_‘I miss you too.’_

 

Instantly three little bubbles popped up on the corner of the message screen. 

 

_‘That’s a very rare surgery Mer. I heard it’s life changing, it would help you. Derek should be able to change her mind, what’s going on with that? Derek should be able too, he has that weird charm thing.’_

 

She could feel the jealously from the text, 

 

_‘ ‘He does have that charm thing, but you have the charm and sex appeal ;)’_

 

She laughed out loud when she saw Mark’s reply. 

 

_‘Kitten, no. Unless you want a round of steamy sexts.’_

 

**_‘I’m at work Mark. I’ll talk to you later.’_ **

 

* * *

 

 

“Wait, so this is the same Cristina we’re talking about right?” Mark laughed as Meredith retold the story of Cristina and Bailey’s baby. “You’re being serious right?” 

 

“I’m not lying, I swear!” Meredith spooned some Chinese food in her mouth. She looked at the clock on her computer, “Wait, what time is it over there?” 

 

Mark looked at his watch, “3 am.” 

 

“Mark, you really need to go to bed, you’re fucking tired.” Mark shook his head and Meredith stared at him. 

 

“No, I want to stay up talking to you,” Meredith gave him a look, “I’ll just fill up on coffee tomorrow babe.” She smiled at him. This was the first time that someone wanted to stay and talk to her, there was no obligations whatsoever. 

 

“If you’re sure.” She yawned and stretched, her shirt unintentionally riding up and showing Mark a sliver of her stomach. She heard him groan and realised what she did, she gave him a cheeky grin and laughed at his face. 

 

“Don’t do that.” 

 

“And why not?” 

 

“Unless,” Mark arched his brow and Meredith laughed once again. “I’m kidding. How was your day?” 

 

And so Meredith launched on how her day went, how her surgery went and her conversation with Meredith. “I would never do it you know,” 

 

Meredith looked at him, confused, “What?” 

 

“If we ever went to that place, I won’t ever.” Mark explained, “I mean, I know that we’re just friends with benefit at the moment but if we ever decided to do it in the future then I won’t ever do that. You can trust me.” 

 

She gave him a smile, “I know that Mark.” 

 

Mark looked at Meredith surprised, “Seriously?” 

 

She gave him a shrug, “You don’t seem like the type of person to hurt the person who he cares about.” 

 

Mark looked at her seriously, “i have to tell you something. This might not make me a good guy in your eyes anymore,” 

 

“Whoever said that you were a good guy in my eyes?” 

 

“Shush!” Mark smiled at her and leaned closer to the monitor. “Don’t interrupt please, I just want to get this off my chest. When Derek left after her discovered Addison and I, we had a relationship for a while. It didn’t last. She was still in love with him, I guess some part of me knew that, but some other part just held onto that sliver of hope that she kept feeding me. Before she left, about two weeks before I slept with a nurse, a scrub nurse and more people after that. She found out.” Mark was scared of how Meredith would view him but he knew that she wasn’t the type of person to judge, or maybe she was judging by her silence. 

 

“I think that some part of me wanted the idea of what her and Derek had. The happy and successful marriage. I thought that it could only happen with Addison and she was there and I guess, I guess I took advantage of her. Maybe I was never in love with her, rather than the idea of her, the way she was portrayed when she was with Derek. I’m finished now, I’m here sitting waiting for your judgement.” Mark finished and waited patiently for whatever the woman behind the monitor would say about him. 

 

Meredith looked at Mark and knew that he was telling the truth and she knew that it took a lot for him to confess this secret. “First of all, I would never judge you. I don’t think I’m actually a good person to judge you, I mean hello, pot calling kettle. Second of all, we all make mistakes Mark, big ones and small ones but they’re just mistakes they can be fixed.You slept with someone that was married to your best friend and that is wrong, but the thing is you didn’t do it with the intent of hurting Derek. You did it because you fell in love with someone and you wanted to finally have that connection established, physically. You might not have loved her as much as you could but you still did, you fought for what you want, you fought for love. You didn’t stand by the sideline and watch the woman you love and not take that risk. You didn’t live with regret back then and you wouldn’t be thinking ‘what if?’  now. 

 

“What you did was wrong but it was right at the same time.” She looked at him and saw that he his eyes began to water, “You slept with other people while with her and that’s wrong as well. You did a lot of shitty things and I can’t really justify you sleeping with other people while you claim to love Addison but I can give you no judgement. You might have felt weak, judging by your reputation you never really had a stable and committed relationship, no offence. But look at you now, a month before you came here on the other side of the country to be with the woman you love, to justify your mistake because you love her. That makes you a good man Derek. And now, at least you know for next time that you won’t do those shitty things to her.” She looked at him, but she wasn’t finished yet. “A man cannot be declared that he is a bad man when he does one bad thing, and a man cannot be declared that he is a good man when does one good thing. You’re not a bad man Mark, I’ve never seen you one and I never will.” 

 

Meredith finished her speech and let out a deep breath. There it was out there. He needed to know that she will never hate him. 

 

Mark looked at the woman on the screen and felt his heart beat like never before. He’s never felt this way and the thing is, he loved it. He wanted to feel like this always. He looked at Meredith again with unshed tears in his eyes. Here was this woman, this beautiful, intelligent, confident, strong woman who practically told him that he was a good guy even though he’s laid out all the evidence that proved him to be the opposite. Here was this woman whom he has known for a month defending him like she’s known him for all his life. 

 

“You’re pretty fucking fantastic you know?” 

 

She gave him one of her smiles, “I know.” 

 

They went on to talk about everything and nothing, they never touched on the conversation that was spoken before, however it never left their mind. Mark knew that next time he fell in love, he would make sure that he never left her and never hurt her. Mark looked at Meredith as she yawned. He could never hurt her, not in a million years. He doesn’t want to be the person that makes her cry and have her heart broken. 

 

Meredith watched as Mark covered his mouth and laid his head on his pillow. She smiled as she saw how sleepy he was, even though he was practically half-asleep he was still the most beautiful man that she’s ever seen.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the long update. I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter, the longest by far! As usual please review! Thank you -padfootsotter.

**Author's Note:**

> Hello everybody, so this is my first attempt at a 'Grey's Anatomy' full fanfic. I hope you guys like this and reviews are highly appreciated!


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